The Return of the Winter Rose
by MiLadyAndTheBastard
Summary: Arya returns to westeros seeking vengeance for her family. Gendry and the brotherhood hear rumours of the ghost of Lyanna stark traveling through westeros and killing all the men of the houses that betrayed the Starks. olderArya/Gendry
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, this is my new fic so i thought i clear some things up. Arya went to Bravos for two years then returned to Westeros and has been there for a year so far. Gendry is still with the BWB. No one has heard anything of the stark children so everyone thinks their dead. Arya is 16/17 and gendry is 20/22**

_Run, run, run. _She ran through the halls that were painted with her family's blood, her fathers, her mother's, her brother's and her sister's. She turned her head to see the wave of blood coming towards her, ready to take her and drown her. She was ready she wanted to see them; she wanted to be held by them. She turned her body around waiting for the wave, waiting for death. She stretched her arms out ready to embrace the red wave.

Arya bolted forward panting, her body covered with sweat. She looked around at the empty shack she had found days before abandoned, the shack was simple but there were no major problems that she could see that would make someone leave. She pealed herself off the stack of hay she had been using for her bed and strode over to the basin she had filled with water, ready to engulf her face with the cold subtance but found it empty. Remembering the stream she had filled with basin up with originally she slipped on her breaches tying them tightly at her waist and pulled her shirt over her chest which dropped to her knees. She hadn't grown much since she was last in westeros but had gained the body of a woman. Her breast and hips had swelled twice the size of her body when she was two and ten.

Arya wrapped her cloak around her shoulders and stepped into the bright sunlight pulling her hood over her face, it was colder that she was used after spending two years in bravos and then another year in kings landing and the westerlands near casterly rock searching for the names that had betrayed her family. Arya walked through the thick woods that towered over her with thin pale trees; it wasn't like the woods at her home in Winterfell. These woods looked sick, like they were about to die. She treaded lightly being careful she didn't make any noise, these woods empty and no hade live here for at least a month but Arya knew things weren't always what they looked like. The stream came to view and Arya nearly leaped towards it but controlled herself and walked towards it slowly then drenched her face in the fresh crisp water

It had been a day since she left the shack she had found in the creepy white woods, Arya never stayed in once place for more than a half moon. She always moved, it was better that way as she would get attached to places or things. The only objects she had with her was the sword her brother had given her when she was a child that was more like a dagger now and her horse Rhaenys, named after Aegon the conqueror sister-wife.

Arya had been riding hard all day looking for some form of shelter from the heavy rain; she had no plan apart from to kill any Lannister, Greyjoy, Frey or Bolton on sight. She didn't care for any of the land or the titles that were rightly hers but she longed for the vengeance her family deserved. She was just about to give up ad sleep rough for the night which she didn't mind but she saw and middle aged couple ride up in a wagon being pulled by a mule. She slowed down warily not sure of the figures approaching her but the seemed more scared of her then she seemed of them, though she was not scared of anyone.

Arya pulled down her hood to expose her face knowing no one would recognise her as Arya and guided her horse into of the road then stopped

"How long till the nearest town?" She asked shouting through the thick rain

The couple seemed surprised by her, Arya assumed it was by her boldness

"You shouldn't be out here alone lass, not at times like these" The small man yelled back, Arya resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the man, she had survived for so long without anyone and she didn't nned this ,am to tell her what to do.

"I need shelter is there any where close?" Arya aimed her question at the plump woman that was sat beside him

"Aye but its a day's ride" The woman stated coldly, no one was open to strangers any more in Westeros. Arya nodded to thank the couple but the woman's voice stopped her "Miss?" Arya turned to head to the plump woman "If I were you I'd turn back, wolves have been spotted past greywater" _Wolves _If the woman was right she couldn't turn back

"Wolves?" Arya asked failing to hide her smile

"Aye large packs of them lass, they'd rip you from limb to limb" The small man interrupted

"Where?" she couldn't contain her excitement any longer if the there were wolves one could be Nymeria

"Near Wintertown, they say their waiting for the Starks to return and take their home"

Arya silently muttered the Starks words to herself before bolting off in the direction of the neck. Her horse would grow tired soon but she had to keep going the still had to go past the swamps of the neck and day was nearly gone but she'd ride on until her horse refused.

She had been riding for two more hours but she then she smelt it, the smog of the swamps. She was finally in the north, her home.

...

Gendry sat alone in the corner of the inn whilst the other men of the brotherhood sat with the women of the ale house. He never enjoyed the company of women who worked in ale house, they reminded him of his mother and the times he'd watch at the inn flirting with the men for extra coin. He had few memories of his mother but the only one that would bring a smile to his face is when she used to sing.

A startled plump woman ran into the inn, Gendry watched as she rushed over to Harwin

"We saw her" the woman breathed at a very surprised Harwin

"Who?" Harwin asked sitting up properly so he could hear the woman's words

"The she wolf, the ghost of Lyanna Stark" the whole room went silent, the ghost of Lyanna stark had been spotted all over Westeros apparently slaying all the houses that had betrayed the Starks

"Mya you know that's just a wives tale" Harwin waved the woman called Mya away, Harwin never believed in any of the gossip around

"It's true Harwin i was there, she even said the words" A small man stepped out of the shadow behind the large woman. Harwin's eyes grew wide at the small mans words like it justified the rumours

"She rode like a man like you said" Mya added, Gendry had only ever knew one girl who rode like a man but she was dead "And when we talked of wolves she smiled, the she wolf has returned" The womans words caused mutters in the inn

Harwin snapped out of his daze finally to reply to the woman "It's a pretender trying to scare the small folk but were heading up the on the at sun rise, we'll take a look" Harwin rose from his chair and head to the stairs for his bed

"She's no pretender. Her hair was brown as the bark in the wolfswood, eyes as grey and hard as steel and skin as pale as snow" Harwin's face had paled slightly but he walked away leaving the inn to go back to its normal chatter. Gendry sensed that Harwin was genially worried about the gossip. But Gendry didn't know what to think about the gossip but all he knew was the girl the woman had described sounded a lot like his dead friend.

**Thanks for reading, Please review they help a lot. I hope you enjoyed it and there is more to come**

**P.S sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes **


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to the people that wrote a review, you have no idea how happy they make me. Chapter isnt that long but after this one shit is really gonna start to go down. Also thanks to the people that followed i didnt expect that many people. Hope you enjoy :D**

They had been travelling for almost four days trying to find the 'ghost of Lyanna Stark' but that wasn't the main reason why the brotherhood had started travelling further up into the north. They had begun to hear stories of women going missing then being found skinless, they had heard rumour after rumour for why the women were kidnapped and skinned. But each one was more ridiculous than the last. Harwin had become more focused on the rumoured ghost than the evil creature that had been stealing women.

He had seemed to become obsessed with the subject repeating himself over and over again "It's disrespectful to them, why can no let them rest?" no one carried on the subject but he always brought it back. Gendry kept out of the subject not wanting to be dragged into the conversation that would bring up his old friend.

"Moat cailin" One of the brothers shouted, Gendry looked up to see the outline of a crumbled building that was surrounded by wet roads and small pools full of weeds. They followed a road which was covered with a small layer of water. The light was fading quickly and soon it would be pitch black, Gendry quickly remembered the stories of the road long snakes that were found past the neck and suggested that they turn in for the night which was met with roars of agreement. They found the foundations of an old square building which would keep away the damp and creatures they didnt want to share a bed with.

Gendry settled down on to the musty smelling ground and looked up at the sky reminding himself of the many times he had slept under the stars but every night he did, he always would fall asleep regretting one thing.

...

She had be moving slowly the past few days, if Nymeria was out there she wanted to make sure her childhood wolf caught her scent. She had been stopping every few hours taking detours off the king's road and making water in the woods as well as leaving stray hairs and spitting on the ground, it would either get her killed or would lead Nymeria to her. Since reaching the neck she had only made it to the beginning of the barrowlands.

Arya hopped down from Rhaenys, pulling her sliver horse over to one of the thick brown trees and tying her to the trunk. She found a tree that she could climb and crawled her way up. She wasn't a silly girl Arya knew the dangers of the north especially as she was leaving a trail. She tucked herself in between the branches and waited for sleep to take her. She waited for hours then she finally started to drift as she thought of the bed she would be staying in tomorrow. She was only an hour or two away from Burrowtown which was slightly off track but they would have an inn and Arya longed for a bed with furs.

She leaped through the forest smelling her master's scent as her pack followed behind her. She pushed herself through the underbrush searching for the girl she once knew. She longed for her scent to engulf her and to be nuzzled by her.

Arya woke up to hear the sound of hooves hitting the dirt road; she pulled herself up letting her head poke out of the top of the tree. Then she saw it the banner of House Bolton, the house that betrayed hers by stealing Winterfell. She jumped down from the tree and ran to the road, it was times like these she was glad of her womanly ways and the feeble hearts of men. She stepped into the road exposing herself to the man on the horse. She watched as the rider slowed down then came to a complete stop. She looked at the man and watched him stare back. She stepped forward and placed the smile on her face that she had learnt in Bravos with the faceless men.

"Don't you know better than to walk out into a road when a man is ridding?" The man smirked

His smirk wasn't like the ones she has seen before, this smirk made chills run down her spine and her hairs stand on edge. "Pardon me Ser, I was hoping you could help me" She pulled her shoulders back exposing the small mounds of breast she had "My horse, I tied her to tight you see and I was hoping I could borrow your strong arms for a second?" she blushed falsely

"And if I do this favour what do I get in return?" He man smiled climbing down from his horse and leading it towards where she stood

"I have no coin but I'm sure I could think of something we both would enjoy" Arya purred as she walked in the direction of her horse but took a wrong turn intentionally and led the man into a small dark opening in the thick of the woods

"Where's your horse" The man grunted

"I lied, I saw you coming and I wanted you. I had to have you" she stepped forward pushing the man up against the tree; the man flipped her over digging her shoulder blades into the rough bark. He began to slobber his way up her neck then aimed for her lips but Arya quickly peck her way up to his ear then whispered "valar morghulis" then she shoved needle into him seven times until the whimpers stopped,

she dragged his horse over to the rider's body then removed the horse's saddle and covered her hand in the man's blood and painted on the words onto his beast's skin and slapped it's behind to make the horse bolt off, she knew the horse would find its way back to the castle where it came from. She searched through the man's body and bags and found a bag of coin, food and wine. She walked back to her horse and led it to the man's body them she threw him over the back of Rhaenys and lead her to the road she had stolen the man from. She shoved the man's bloody remains on the ground and stripped him down to his pale skin then dug her hands into the wounds then rewrote the words she had written earlier over his ghostly skin. She stepped back to admire her work. _Winter is coming._

...

"Winter is coming?" Lem read aloud to the group as they looked over the naked man.

"The stark words" Harwin breath, Gendry could hear the terror in his voice but could see it in everyone else's eyes. He wasn't scared, Gendry was angrier that scared. Someone was trying to place fear in people by playing a sick joke. No one could seem to let the Starks rest in peace instead everyone seemed obsessed with them. He knew they were the rightful owners of the north but he just wanted them to forget, he just wanted to forget.

"There's a town not far from here we will go ask around and see if anyone has seen or heard anything" Harwin said coldly leading is horse off the kingsroad and down a small path.

...

Arya could smell the stench an hour before arriving in Burrowtown and was met with what he expected. Thick black smoke rose from the once building and charred bodies littered the ground. She climbed down from Rhaenys and tip toed her way through the rubble. She had been to Burrowtown only once before and remembering the house of Dustin and the villagers she passed by. Arya side stepped through the ash and then saw the glint of a shield and pulled it out the wreckage, the shield had the house Dustin sigil. Then a low voice called for her to turn around.

...

"You there, show us your face" He demanded of the figure. The figure slowly turned to show that it was a women not just a women the ghost of Lyanna Stark.

"Lyanna" He whisper all the memories of the girl he knew came flooding back to him. Harwin fell to his knees in awe. She was still as beautiful as she was back then. Some of the men joined him on the floor but the ones who had never met Lyanna stood there awkwardly. Then Harwin heard Gendry clear his voice

...

That wasn't Lyanna Stark, he had never met the women but he knew who the figure was and it wasn't Lyanna Stark or her ghost. It was Arya stark is old friend.

"Harwin thats not Lyanna, That's Lady Arya Stark" He stated flatly not wanting his emotions to show.

"Ser" is old friend said smirking at him.

**Thank you for reading. Please write a review they make my day and i always feel very on edge once ive posted a chapter so they really help. Sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes.**

**The way Arya is portrayed in this chapter is not how she will always be, i think she is abit lost and is craving the place she belongs at the mo. So i am sorry if she is coming across abit heartless**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to the people that reviewed and followed, i am so glad that your enjoying it as much as i am. This chapter is a bit more up beat.**

She couldn't keep back the laughter as he smiled at her it had been three and a half years since the last time she saw her old friend. Arya never thought about seeing him again and assumed his stubborn bull like nature would have got him killed. She hadn't realised it's until her arms clung to his neck but they were holding each other so tightly that she almost forgotten the people around her but as she was pulling away from him, Gendry whispered into her ear.

"I thought you were dead" she was taken aback by his words the truth was she barely thought about him and what would of happened to him, she almost felt guilty.

"Stupid" Arya whispered back remembering the way they used to jape.

"Gods be good. Is that truly you my lady?" Arya turned to see Harwin stood before her, the man who had tried to help her when she was with the brotherhood without banners. She looked at the man who had once taught her how to ride a horse and saw tears in his eyes.

"Yes Harwin, it's me" Arya stepped back from Gendry and looked at all the men of the brotherhood and was met with the mutter of "My lady". She saw the men she once travelled with Lem, Anguy, Greenbeard and Tom sevenstrings. They had all grown into older men now with more scares, each one of them looked rougher than ever but Gendry he had once been a young man but now he was a full grown man even more built that before.

"My lady all the men in the kingdoms thought you were dead and we thought that the hound killed you, if it's not out of my place to ask but where have you been?" Harwin asked her with pain running through his eyes.

Arya couldn't answer his question, she couldn't tell them of the things she had done. Arya wasn't ashamed but she didn't want them to tell them anything. She had trusted them the last time and found herself trapped "I came here looking for an inn to rest at but found the place burnt down, nothing is left. Who do you think could have done this?" She avoided Harwin's original question knowing he would not push for her answer.

"Were not certain my lady but we have heard rumours of a group of Bolton's men burning and trashing villages" the voice that spoke brought Arya's attention to the back of the group, to a young man about her age. The man had ash blonde hair; she had met this person before but when she had met him he was just a boy.

"Edric? Edric Dayne?"

"My lady" the man bowed at her. He had grown since, he was taller and had gain the build of a man but he was nothing compared to Gendry.

"It's not safe to be hear Harwin, we should leave" Gendry said gaining Arya's attention; the stupid bull had his jaw clenched as if someone had just insulted him. _Idiot_.

"Aye, let's go men. Head to the hidden house" Harwin answered Gendry. Arya had made no hint of going with them but yet one of the men still brought Rhaenys to her, she wasn't sure if she trusted the men but she needed a full night's sleep and she was low on food, Rhaenys needed new shoes and food for herself. _I could always leave them; I mean they can't stop me this time. I'll run if the try to keep me, I'll run._ She climbed on her horse and followed the men setting off for the place they call the place they called the hidden house.

...

They had been on the road for nearly half the day and would be at the hidden house just before sunset but the whole time whilst ridding he had been watching her, watching her talk to the men of the brotherhood she had once knew. The scrawny girl he had once known had change into a woman, not even just a woman, Arya was now a lady. She still wore breaches and a man's shirt but now her body had filled them out which made the clothing seem even more inappropriate for her.

"It feels to strange to see you again" Arya beamed at him, her face had blossomed into the wild beauty that she had always been.

"Aye" he nodded at her wondering about the times he had blamed himself for her kidnapping "Why did you kill that man and write your words on his body?" Gendry didn't mean to ask her so boldly but he had wanted to know, he needed to know.

He watched her look at him with a gawking expression but she gulped hard then the cold wall on her face set and all emotion left "He was one of Ramsay Bolton's men; he betrayed my father and brother." Gendry was completely shocked by who she had become, she was not the girl he once knew, she had almost had become cold but there would be the small glimmer of the old Arya.

"You think you could be happy for once, I have not seen you in three years and you want to know about a dead man" Arya snapped at him, it was true for all he knew that man could of threatened Arya and she defended herself.

"I missed you" he smiled

"And I you. Come on you stupid bull" he felt Arya kick her foot into his leg "let's race" he didn't know what to say he hadn't ever raced on a horse before and all the men were surrounding them

"I don't think we-"before Gendry could finish is sentence he watched Arya bolt off ahead of him leaving them in the dust

"Best race after her" Gendry looked to his left to see Tom smirking at him, Gendry kicked his heels into the side of his horse then charged off after her.

...

She enjoyed seeing them; she had missed company and the faces of her time in Westeros. She was being led through the hills of the Barrowlands to a place called the hidden house, from what she had heard from the group, the place was a house covered in ivy hidden by the hills of the Barrowlands and the smog coming from the south from the neck. She hadn't seen it coming until she was told to dismount and was led up a thin path in between two hills.

The house was as they described thick dark ivy covered the stony building and a layer of thick warm air circled it, they placed their horses into the wooden stables that were more like a shed then she was led into the building. As she walked in she found the place completely empty and was only filled with old furniture. The hidden house was no house it was more like a cottage with two large rooms.

"An old man once lived here that would give us shelter but he died months ago leaving us with the house" Anguy muttered to her

As she looked around the abandoned house she realised it was now pitch black and she had been riding all day and wanted nothing more than to sleep. Harwin seemed to have read her mind as he lead her to the back and exposed a square cove with a rusting hay bed pushed up against the wall.

"It's no featherbed my lady but it's the best we can do" Harwin walked away leaving her to sleep. She crawled in between the furs and drifted off.

She ran through the hall trying to escape the thick red liquid that was chasing after her, she would let it take her this time. She was a Stark, she was no craven. As she pushed herself through a door she found herself in a room with long dark walls. There was a basket of fire with a touch next to it, she grabbed the touch and lit it. She circled the room looking for an exit but found none, she walked closer to the walls and found them dripping with blood. She pulled her head back and found heads hanging over her. But they weren't any other heads they were the heads of her family and their wolves. She heard a high pitch noise and looked around the room trying to find the source but couldn't then a voice a deep strong voice called for her over the noise. She wanted to answer but she couldn't then a sharp stinging pain hit her arm.

"Arya, Arya, Arya." Arya opened her eyes to find herself sitting up on her bed and Gendry leaning over pinching her arm. She battered his fingers away then wiped the sweat away from her head.

"Sorry milady you were screaming" Gendry muttered backing away from her, Arya quickly looked around the room embarrassed of waking everyone up but she and Gendry were the only ones awake, either the knights of the brotherhood were heavy sleepers or she was screaming quieter than a mouse.

"What did I say about calling me that" she spat, Arya was so confused one second she was being haunted by her dead family the next she had a large man hovering over her.

"Sorry" he grunted at her looking at her shyly "Are you ok Arry?" she had missed being called that name she longed to be someone but not the lady she was forced into being.

"I think so" Arya smiled at the man she had known since a young girl

"I can stay awake with you if you wish" She had not realised how much she had missed her old friend and the faces he pulled.

"No don't be silly but stay with me" Gendry nodded then settled himself down on the floor next to her "No stupid, I meant in here" Arya pulled back her furs to show her friend the space next her.

Gendry looked as if she had asked him to cut off his own manhood "I don't think that would be appropriate milady" he muttered

Arya wacked him around the back of his head to make him meet her eyes "I don't care what you think is appropriate _Ser _and I am no lady" she scoffed turning her body away from the stupid bastard. She heard him sigh then felt the furs lift up ad Gendry press his chest against her back then wrap his arm over her waist. Arya relaxed against him enjoying the heat that was being released.

She had started to drift off again but just before she let the night take her Gendry whispered "I know".

**So cute, i couldnt help but smile when i wrote that last scene. And everyone welcome Edric Dayne god i hate him. **

**Please review i really enjoy reading them. Thanks for reading.**

**P.S To any who reads Camp Hollow Hill i am very sorry about not updating but i am trying to get a chapter up soon its just not coming as easy as This one.**


	4. Chapter 4

**So ive posted this like 7 hours early but in the words of Chris Miles _fuck it!_ Thank you to the people who left a review it makes me see that you guys enjoy the story and its also a huge ego boost. So i know i said the shit is about to go down around now but i think it will have to be around Ch.7, Im sorry but you guys will just have to put up with the kept up feelings of Gendry and Arya for now. Enjoy**

When Arya woke she was in the room alone, Gendry wasn't besides her and none of the men were lying on the floor. She pulled the furs off her and made her way into the other room. She found all the men sat around the fire eating and japing.

"My lady, you've finally woken up" Arya turned to see Edric smiling at her; she nodded at him politely not wanting to share courtesies so early in the morning "Would you like something to eat?"

"No thank you Edric" she looked around the room looking for her bull natured friend but couldn't see him "Where's Gendry?" Arya asked worried he had left her again

"Ser Gendry is in the forge" Edric answered, she couldn't tell but Edric seemed to look sad when she mentioned Gendry

"Forge?" Arya hadn't expected a forge, the house wasn't even a house and the last thing she would expect would it to have a forge

"Yes my lady, when we started staying here the man who lived here made a forge as it was such a long journey so we would fix our weapons and make new horse shoes. I can go get Gendry for you my lady if you need-"

"That won't be necessary, my lord. If you just tell me where it is I can find him for myself" she didn't mean to be rude but she had barely talked to Gendry and he was the only one she knew that she trusted.

Edric pointed her in the way of the back of the house to an iron door. She pushed it open to hear the unmistakable sound of Gendry's hammer hitting the anvil, as she shut the door behind her and the full force of the heat hit her. The heat reminded her of the time she spent in Bravos and the south.

Gendry glanced up at her then went back to the horseshoe he was working on. Arya slipped herself into a seat that was tucked away in the corner and begun to watch him work. She always enjoyed watch him work, the way his face would tighten with concentration and the way his muscles would move under his skin and sweat would trickle down him bare chest.

"Ugh" Arya breathed, she quickly slapped her hand to her mouth to stop the noise thankfully Gendry didn't seem too noticed and carried on hitting the horse shoe. Her face began to warm and her hands started to sweat but she knew it wasn't because of the heat. Arya had never had these feeling before when watching Gendry; she had never had them about anyone.

She quickly remembered the state of Rhaenys feet and asked Gendry if he could fix her horses shoe's

"What do you think I'm doing?" he muttered Arya wasn't sure but she swore she could see a smirk

"How did you know that they needed fixing?" she didn't ask him to fix them for her last night and didn't know anything of the forge until Edric told her.

"I saw they needed fixing yesterday and I woke up early so I thought I might as well" Gendry grunted and he pounded out the last dent

"Oh ... Thank you" She was glad that Gendry was fixing her horses shoes but Arya felt slightly hurt that he had left her in the early morning, it was if he was trying to escape her. Arya knew he found it inappropriate that he shared a bed with her but she didn't understand why they had shared furs more than once when they were on the kingsroad.

Arya focused on Gendry again realising he was staring at her with a worried look on his

"What?" she asked, annoyed he was staring at her like that

"Nothing" Gendry sighed at her then stared at his work, she thought he'd leave it there but he didn't "No, where have you been? You have come out of nowhere I search for nearly a year Arya where have you been?" Arya didn't know what to say she couldn't tell him of the time she spent with the faceless men

"I lived in bravos selling seafood for two years them I came here and lived in Dorne selling lemons for the last year then you found me "Arya lied hoping he'd believe her not knowing he knew about the other men she killed.

"So when did you kill all those men?"

...

Gendry watched as Arya pursed her lips together. He stared into her steel eyes searching for the answer he needed but found nothing but hard icy ground, there was no warmth in her eyes anymore.

"Those men betrayed my family. They bent their knee to the men who killed my brothers, my sister and my parents." Arya growled at him, she wasn't the same as she used to be but no one would be after what she went through and Arya Stark was no child.

"But they didn't kill your family?" He stepped closer towards her trying to find the real her hoping her dissolve into the person she used to be, the person he had seen grimaces of yesterday.

"No but-"

Gendry interrupted Arya not waiting for her to justify herself "So you killed innocent men, not knowing why they bent the knee. You think killing their families will help you, your just causing more pain Arya for yourself and innocent people"

...

"Oh like you'd know, you don't even have a family" she scoffed, he didn't understand what it was like to have siblings

"Yeah that's right because I'm a low born bastard that's too stupid to understand a highborn woman's feelings" Gendry spat back at her, Arya realised what her words must have sounded like. Like she thought she was better that him but she didn't, Arya had stopped thinking about herself in any way she had lost all confidence when it came to her but the only thing she felt empowered by was needle

"No I didn't mean I like that –"she started

But Gendry didn't wait for her to finish "Maybe my lady should go and break her fast" he didn't look up at her as he spoke which made Arya feel like she had just been hit in the chest with his hammer

Arya was just about to leave but she realised _I am no craven I say my feelings and I won't listen to what Gendry says and not have him hear what I think _but Arya had nothing to say either way it would sound like she had meant to insult him so she said the only thing that came to her mind that would make Gendry see how foolish he was

...

"Its milady" he heard her say, Gendry looked up to see Arya staring at him from the door

"Huh?" Arya never wanted him calling her by her title why now was she correcting him in the wrong pronunciation

"Its milady, if you're going to feel sorry for yourself being a bastard then speak like one" with that Arya turned on her heel leaving him starting there with his mouth wide open. She was right of course he was feeling sorry for himself but he didn't want to admit that to her.

...

As Arya left the forge she could hear the shouts of men and orders being yelled back and forth, she snuck around front in case of danger but sensed no real threat. As she poked her head round the front of the house she saw their horses being saddled and packed

"Are we leaving?" she asked one of the men called Dennet

"It's best to ask Harwin My lady" he grunted as he tied the horse's saddle

Arya was so confused why couldn't Dennet just tell her but she didn't want to waste any time and looked for Harwin finding him in the back room gathering her things

"Harwin what's going on?"

Harwin put down the things in his arms and looked at her "Were going to Dorne my lady, Edric's father finally past"

"Is he ok? And why are _we_ going to Dorne?" Arya didn't understand, she thought the brotherhood only operated in the Riverlands. The only reason why they came up north was to investigate the kidnapped women or that's what they told her.

"He is fine my lady, Edric was expecting this day, he left moments ago. And were going to Dorne so you are safe my lady, now your here we need to you to be safe so we can take back winterfell" Harwin picked up her belongings and made his way outside to the horse's. Arya quickly followed him still confused, she didn't even know if she wanted to take back winterfell and just as she was about to protest Harwin interrupted "There should always be a Stark in Winterfell my lady"

Arya stopped, he was right, there should be and she was the only one left. It was her duty to do this for her family and their honour, she may be a Stark but she was also a Tully. As she stepped out into the daylight she saw Rhaenys grazing and then she saw her feet with her perfect shoes. Gendry was an amazing blacksmith, Arya never doubted that and she admired him for it.

She strode over to her sliver horse and mounted her battering away the man trying to help her mount Rhaenys and got in line. She looked around the group and saw some men weren't joining when she asked one of them why they said they were still the brotherhood and still sworn to protect the riverlands. As she looked at the group she tried to count the men that were joining them thankfully they were all the men Arya already knew, she saw Gendry and had to take a second glance at the man. He had a puzzling look on his face as if the war of the five kings was happening inside his head.

As the tread slowly along the gravely road tom suggested a song which was met with groans from the men but he began to sing anyway

_"My featherbed is deep and soft, and there I'll lay you down,_  
_I'll dress you all in yellow silk, and on your head a crown._  
_For you shall be my lady love, and I shall be your lord._  
_I'll always keep you warm and safe, and guard you with my sword."_

She recognised the song but wasn't sure were from as she looked around the group she tried to find the answer in the other men's faces but found none

_"__And how she smiled and how she laughed, the maiden of the tree._  
_She spun away and said to him, no featherbed for me._  
_I'll wear a gown of golden leaves, and bind my hair with grass,_  
_But you can be my forest love, and me your forest lass"_

When Arya reached Gendry's face she saw that he was blushing slightly and then it hit her, she had once seen that blush before when she heard this song for the first time. She remembered that Tom once played this song at Acorn hall after she and Gendry had wrestled. Then Arya found herself blushing at the idea of her and Gendry rolling around on the floor of the smithy.

_"But you can be my forest love, and me your forest lass._  
_Yes you can be my forest love and me your forest lass..."_

**YES! They have both felt attraction to each other. *Dances across the room*. **

**Poor annoying Edric Dayne tried to have a conversation with Arya but she just wanted the D from Gendry.**

**Also a little of the Tywin banter from the show in Arya's lines, and Tom you saucy devil.**

**How things are going in the story may be very out of character for BWB but i have no control. I have my work cut out for me as i have to plan their trip on a map and look up all the crossing points. I truly am their puppet.**

Thanks for reading. Tell me what you thought, you know by now i love to hear what you think :D


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, sorry its been a few days. So they have left for starfall and are on the road. Thanks for the reviews ect.**

They had been on the kingsroad for most of the today, it surprised Arya that it hadn't taken them that long to get to it but after being on the kingsroad for about seven hours she wanted nothing more than to get off it and rest. Gendry had still been acting strange for the whole ride and Arya was growing sick of his mood.

_Stupid _bull_, if he wants to go and feel sorry for himself then who am I to stop him?_

But her words made her think _who am I to him? A friend? A pest? His oldest friend? Does he even care for me? He said he chased after me the night the hound stole me but he joined this group of outlaws and left me. _

Arya was too busy kept up in her thoughts to see Gendry ride up besides her _He must care a little I mean he did think I was dead, so he must have cared enough to think about me? _

"Arry!" Arya jumped startling Rhaenys under her; she looked to her left to see a smirking Gendry, she shot him a a death stare. _Stupid bull._

"What?" she asked him annoyed

"I said that we would be at Moat Cailin soon, were resting there tonight" Gendry said laughing to himself

_Good, he has got over himself_. Arya was still slightly hurt by the way he had spoken to her but knew he wasn't going to apologise

"Good I'm so tired" Arya made herself stretch almost comically to show Gendry she wasn't mad at him

Gendry smiled at her then looked like he had an idea and quickly started rummaging through his horses saddle bags. "Here" he threw something at Arya, she caught the object and turned it over in her hands and saw it was an apple "Eat, you need to you haven't all day" she smiled as she looked down at the large red apple, she lifted it to her mouth and pierced the thin sweet skin with her teeth, devouring the crunchy white insides.

When she looked up still chewing from her second bite she saw Gendry was blushing slightly then cleared his throat and looked forward, _Stupid bull._

...

He kept his eyes forward trying to forget the image he had just seen of Arya moaning as she ate the apple. Gendry knew his place, he was a bastard and nothing could change that and she was a highborn lady. It was one of the main reasons why he became a knight in the first place, so he could improve his title so he could stay round Arya for longer, he thought at the time that maybe he could be her sworn shield.

But Arya didn't need anyone, no matter how hard he wanted her to need him she didn't. She was strong not like any other girl he had met. Gendry remembered the time he had confronted her about really being a girl and how she called him a Eunuch then he offered to get his cock out to show her he wasn't. But that was when he didn't know she was a highborn that was when he thought they could leave the nights watch and he could work in a smithy and support her. He didn't feel hurt when he found out who she was, he was used to being let down and being alone.

He saw they were turning off track and realised it was to set up camp at the same place he had slept on his way up north to find the mysterious ghost of Lyanna stark, he saw there were already men there and remembered why they were to go the Dorne so that Edric can be Lord of Starfall._ Then Arya will be with people of her own kind and I will be the outlaw bastard knight._ But was prepared to be alone he always was not matter how many members of the brotherhood were around him.

...

As Arya rode down the hidden path she saw a small tent that was as big as a cot tucked neatly into the corner of the foundations of a crumbled cottage. She dismounted and followed Gendry to tied Rhaenys to a tree. She stood there not knowing what to do for a while but saw some of the men where sat around a small fire she hunched herself down next to the men, stretching her legs releasing the tension that was trapped in her thighs. When she looked up she saw Gendry was sat across from her staring, she stared back for a while searching his cool blue eyes.

"Tired my lady?" She her heard a voice over her and turned to see the Danye sigil imprinted on a chest plate, she guessed it was Edric Dayne and when her eyes moved upwards she saw she was right

"Not really my lord just weary from all the riding" She smiled up at him then turned her back to him as she saw he was about to sit next to her.

"Have you ever been to Dorne my lady" Edric asked her, his eyes looking purple as the fire hit them

"Yes my father took me there once when I was little but I was too young to remember" It was true but Arya left out the lie about selling lemons or hunting down men.

"I am sure you will remember it this time, it's always warm and the food is a lot different to the north's" she watch threw the corner of her eye watching Edric beaming with pride

"Are you excited to go home my lord?"

"Yes, I haven't seen my family in years I've almost forgotten their faces "At the mention of his family she remembered his dead father

"I am sorry to hear about your family" She spoke softly, Edic didn't say anything but nodded then smiled

...

He couldn't listen to their courtesies any longer and drowned himself in the conversation the other men were having. They were telling stories of Moat cailin and its greatness but one sentence made Gendry's ears perk up

"Aye it's meant to have one of the greatest Godswoods in the north, not as good as the one in winterfell but still as beautiful" He listen to one of the men boast

"But wasn't it destroyed?" another asked

"No it's at the beck of the ruins" the first man muttered.

Then Gendry had the biggest grin on his face he had ever had, he knew Arya loved the Godswood of her old home and he was sure she's love this as well. He'd wait until everyone was a sleep then he'd wake her and show her.

Gendry laid there waiting for all the men to fall asleep and watched as the night got darker then finally crawled over to the small tent they had set up for Arya and pulled back the tent flaps, he poked his head in to find her sat up staring at him.

"You know if you're trying to sneak around you should do it more quietly" Arya smirked folding her arms then pulling them to her chest

"Come on I want to show you something" Gendry rose to his feet and stuck his hand out for Arya to take; when she did it, wasn't hard for him to notice how soft her skin was. Once she was on her feet Gendry quickly whipped his hand away from hers then turned in the direction of the Godswoods.

"Where are we going" she asked him after they had been working for about two minutes

"It's a surprise" Gendry grunted not wanting to let his excitement slip, he could hear Arya sigh with impatience but she didn't push him

He noticed the trees had started to change shape and they had found a path, Gendry wanted to really surprise her so he made her close her eyes they led her to the heart tree. He placed her in front of the bone white tree.

"Open your eyes" he whispered then stepped to the side so he could still she her reaction.

...

Arya opened her eyes slowly, scared about what was in front of her but she knew she could trust Gendry. When she opened them fully she found herself in the darkness of the woods with a white tree reaching over her.

"A heart tree" she breathed. Arya was so shocked, she hadn't seen a heart tree in three years and now there was one of the most beautifully haunting things in front of her. Arya turned to her dearest friend; she searched Gendry's face loving the stupid grin on his face.

She turned back to the face of the tree, one of the many things that reminded her of her dead father. All of a sudden Arya felt all her emotions wash over her, she had never really cried for her father's death or any of her families. She fell to the floor on her knees in front of the bleeding face and sobbed.

Arya knew she could trust Gendry and knew he wouldn't judge her. Her cries were hard and violent; they made her body jump forward with each gasp. She placed her hands against the rough tree needing to cling to the memories of her past. Then she felt his arms wrapped around her, Gendry was holding her from behind her. Arya was thankful for her friend, they understood each other and she loved him for that.

_I love him. _She stopped crying once she heard what she had just thought, she loved him. Arya searched her mind to think of a time she didn't, she had always loved him and cared for him even though she was to stubborn to show it.

"I'm here Arry" Gendry tried to comfort her but it wasn't enough

"Promise me" She muttered

"Huh?" Gendry loosened his arms but they were still wrapped around her, Arya stood up leaving Gendry on his knees holding her thighs.

"Promise me you always will be here" she looked down at him, search for the answers. Gendry stood up leaving no space between them.

"Arya, I promise you I will and always will be here" Gendry rose his hand and held her cheek wiping the stray tear away.

A sob escaped Arya's lips then he pulled her into his chest, letting her head rest against his heart. He scent drowned her noise but she welcomed it, loving the smell of the rain, leather and the hint of soap.

XXXX

He sat there alone in the woods staring at the white tree. What had he just scene? A girl he knew once, crying for a reason he didn't know, with a man he didn't know holding her.

"Bran?" He turned to see a slim girl with dark hair behind him "What is it?"

"Arya Stark ... My sister ...She still lives"

**DA DA DAHHHH! Bran is here people woop!**

**Oh and Gendry holding Arya *sobs***

**Please review they make my day :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello children, here you go. a longish chapter so have fun**

Gendry watched her as broke her fast. He couldn't forget last night, the way he held her and how her body fitted perfectly against him.

"The more you stare, the more it will hurt you" he turned to see Harwin stood over him, looking at Arya japing with the other men

"I don't know what you're talking about" Gendry muttered down to the floor

"Don't play stupid boy, you know what I'm saying" Harwin said as he sat down next to him "I wish I could say if you find a new girl and wed her you would forget but you don't. you will always long after them" Gendry watched the brown haired man sigh looking as if he was repeating something in his mind. He knew Harwin was talking about Arya but he couldn't let Harwin know his feeling even though he had already guessed them

"I don't know what you're talking about" Gendry snapped rising to his feet and stomping off. Everything was a reminder to him of how he and Arya would never be together and how just because of his birth they would soon be separated

He wondered through the woods to where he and Arya had been the night before. He didn't know why but something about the tree was calling him or maybe it was just the fact that he had shared the only intermit moment with Arya there.

Gendry stepped closer to the tree slightly scared of the heart tree's power; he had heard stories of the children of the forest and their powers. He was now staring in the face of the crying tree, he knew that the liquid was sap but there was something so intriguing about it. He reached out wanting to feel the sticking substance between his fingers

"They say the tears are for the sorrow they feel" Gendry whipped his head to his right to see Arya standing a few feet away from him. "My father would go the Godswood in Winterfell to sharpen his sword after he killed a man" He watched as Arya stepped closer and rubbed her hand over the rough bark.

"Why did you storm off before when Harwin was taking to you?" Arya's steel eyes were on his face know

His mouth was full of saliva and his heart was beating faster than ever "I… needed to make water" he mumbled hoping it would be a decent excuse

"So why haven't you? I followed you here, I didn't see you piss" Arya pouted at him, she could obviously tell he was lying

Gendry couldn't help but laugh at the idea of Arya watching him from the bushes like a spy "Stop. What's so funny?" she asked him annoyed

"Nothing Milady" he chuckled, Gendry knew it was annoy her even more.

He watched as Arya twisted her face up and shoved her small paw like hands into his chest, Gendry laugh again

"Idiot" Arya yelled as she pushed him one last time but Gendry caught her hands as he tumbled back onto the floor bringing her down on top of him. Her chest crashed against his which made Gendry tighten up at the feeling of her breasts against his chest.

He reached up to her sides near her underarms and began to tickle her like he use to, Arya flailed on top of him trying remove his hands laughing. He flipped her on her back as she tried to hit him in the groin, he pinned her down whilst tickling her with one hand. He was too busy to see Arya leaning up to him and placing a kiss on his forehead.

Gendry stopped at the feel of her lips; they were so soft and plump. Before he could even think about what had just happened he was flipped on his back and Arya was on top of him laughing

"I win"

…

"What else did you see? Have you seen that Godswoods before?" Meera asked him nervously.

"I don't know, there was fog it is defiantly in the north" Bran sighed, trying to think harder

"Are you sure it was her? I mean you haven't seen her for five years"

"It is her that was my sister, and I'm going to find her"

…

Arya grinned to herself as she rode Rhaenys down the king's road. She had kissed him even though it was a peck not how her parents used to kiss but she still found it hilarious. Gendry's face was priceless, after she flipped him she started laughing at his stunned face but Gendry didn't find it as funny as he told her that it was _stupid_ and _childish_ then had been sulking for the past two days.

"My lady" She turned to see Edric on her left trotting up to her smiling

"My lord" Arya said bowing her head when she greeted him then turned her head back to the road looking at the open path ahead of them. They were now in the riverlands, they avoided then main places where their party would attract attention but now had found their way back on the kingsrood. Harwin and the men refused to cross at the twins knowing it people would recognise them as the brotherhood no matter if they were carrying out what would be the king's justice.

"You seem more bright today my lady" Edric stated

"Yes I slept very well last night "the truth was Arya didn't sleep at all last night as she had heard they would be going to an inn and sleeping in a bed. She hadn't slept in a real bed in half a year and couldn't wait until she had the furs tucked around her neck.

"The men said we should be at the inn within the hour, personally I can't wait to be in a bed and not on the floor" The blonde haired boy smirked at her

…

_Highborns and their courtesies,_ the girl Arya was pretending to be for Edric was not the girl he knew. She was Arry, she was his only true friends and yet she had kissed him. I wasn't a real kiss but it was still a kiss. It was a taster of something he couldn't have and Edric could. _He could marry her; he could bed her and love her openly unlike me, all I can do is watch. _

Gendry could see the white inn in the distance and couldn't wait to get off his horse and drink. He hadn't been to the inn with the orphan children in nearly one moon and felt bad for it. He had become some sort of father figure for them which he was glad about as Gendry had no father and barely knew what his mother looked like.

…

Arya climbed down from her horse outside the white building she had been to once before. They led their horse to the wooden stable round the back of the inn then walked through the wooden door that led into the main room.

"Gendry!" A high pitched voice cried, she looked up to see a small girl run towards Gendry.

"Willow" Gendry chuckled as he lifted the girl into his arms and hugged her. Arya felt a small pain her chest as she saw Gendry hold another girl, a girl he could have, a girl he wanted.

"How have you been?" Arya watched as Gendry squeezed the girl call willow tighter into his chest. He must have felt the glares she was giving them both as Gendry looked at her then stepped away from Willow

"I've been good, What about you, what about the children?" Arya ignored the rest of their conversation not wanting to hear of _the_ _children_ she didn't know and Gendry did. This place was a reminder of the life Gendry could have and she wouldn't even matter.

"Milady, I have the best room ready for you" Arya turned to see another girl staring at her waiting for a reply. _Milady Milady Milady, Titles titles titles_

"I'm not a lady" she snapped at the girl, she didn't want this any of this, she was doing this for her family, for her father. _That's right not for anyone else, what do I care if Gendry goes and marries that girl then they run the inn together. And I will marry some fat lord for the sake of passage across a bridge. _

"I'm sorry miss were taught to call everyone Milady, no mistakes you see" The girl who looked a couple years older than what Sansa would have been smiled

"Well you have, I'm no lady" Arya didn't mean to be cruel but she was tired and annoyed by Gendry, she noticed the inn had gone silent and all the men were staring at her. Arya looked at Gendry for a second and saw his jaw was clenched, and his eyes were digging into her skin.

"Please just take me to my room" she muttered to the girl, tired of all people.

…

Gendry sat down stairs gazing into his cup of dark ale. Arya hadn't been down since they got here; he was annoyed how she had talked to his friends and wanted to confront her about it but he wasn't sure if that was just the ale talking.

Just as he hoped she would come down, he saw her small figure crept down the stairs. Gendry watched her stand in the dark corner of the room, he was waiting for her to join him but she didn't she just stood there watching everyone. Gendry was just about to go and speak to her but she quickly ran across the floor and grabbed a jug of ale then slipped out the door.

_What in the seven_

…

Arya had always wanted to be drunk; she had been tipsy before but never drunk. She was upset at everything and hearing of how men drink their sorrows away she couldn't think of a reason why she shouldn't do the same.

She slid her back down the bark of the tree and took a large gulp from the ale she had stolen. The fizz hit the back of her throat and the bitter taste made her choke it down.

"Sip it slowly" a deep voice mumbled behind her, she knew the voice it was Gendry's. The ground shifted next to her as Gendry sat down. Arya took his advice and tried again, drinking the dark liquid in long slow sips letting the ale cool and refresh her mouth.

"So will you marry a girl like willow then?" she didn't know what came over her, _idiot._

"What? No, why would you think that?" Gendry stammered

"The way she looks at you and the way you held her" Arya felt so embarrassed, it was a stupid question.

"You don't know what you're taking about" He grumbled at her

"I do. The way she said your name when we came here and you hugged her so tightly, like … like my mother and father used to" her voice caught on her words about the family she missed

"I didn't hug her like anything, I just hug like that"

"Liar" Arya hissed

"Am not" he spat at her "I hugged you like that" the way Gendry said he hugged her made her skin blush a dark red. She looked at Gendry's face and saw he was blushing to; her face was on fire so she took another large swig which went down smoothly this time.

Her face started to burn up even more but this time it was from the alcohol, the woods started to spin and all the feelings she had started to make sense. _I love him; I want him always to be with me. That's not selfish right? _

"So you don't love her?" Arya moved on to her knees and knelt next to him.

"No, not like that" he muttered

"Do you love anyone?" she asked him, Arya was clinging on to every word that he would say. She needed to know if he could keep the promise he made her because he couldn't love someone and still always be with her.

But Gendry didn't say any words, he just shrugged. Arya wanted him to love her how she thought he love Willow; she wanted him to be only hers. She wanted to kiss him. _Why shouldn't I, I am a woman full grown. I should know how to kiss a man and I want to kiss him so why not? _

Arya put down her ale next to her and looked at him, waiting. She was waiting for him to look at her with his piercing eyes; she was waiting for her lips to meet his. When Gendry looked up at her he looked slightly shocked at how close she was to him. Arya slipped her fingers around the cup in his hand pulling it away from him, which he agreed to; she placed his cup next to the jug then went back to staring at him.

Gendry's breathing was heavy she could see he was tense and slightly confused. Arya lifted her hand out to his jaw and ran her hand across his harsh stubble. His eyes were gazed over, she watched as he licked his lips. _He wants to kiss me too._

She leant forward and quickly pressed her lips against Gendry's then pulled back searching his face, she wasn't sure how you kiss or if that was even right but she assumed it was as Gendry's large hand came to the back of her head and pulled her back to him, back to his lips.

His lips were frim against hers and Arya noticed his were slightly parted so she did the same. Gendry grinded his lips against hers and she followed enjoying the movant but she wanted to be closer, she lifted her leg over his lap and straddled him pushing herself up against his body.

The wind swept past their bodies and the trees swayed around them. The sound of the woods moving around them made Arya want him more, the woods made the kiss even more magical. She pushed her face hard against his, lifting her fingers up to his head then pushing them through his thick hair.

Gendry's breathing was heavy and hard, he was gripping her back almost pinching her skin and she was certain she would have bruises tomorrow but she didn't care they would be proof of what happen here.

His stubble moved against her chin and cheek making a tingling feeling in her stomach that she had never had before. She wanted to be closer and enjoy the kiss for longer but Gendry pushed her back gently then looked into her eyes.

His face was full of emotions Arya had never seen before; his lips were swollen and pink

"I love you" he said

**Ahhhh! They kissed :D**

**I dont know how my writing went with the kissing scene, was it good?**

**Bran is coming to get Arya, when he figures out where the feck she is**

**Please leave reviews, i love them**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello lovers, new chapter for you all. Hope you enjoy**

Gendry was pulled back to reality. His face was so close to hers. _What have I just done?_ _What have I just said?_

He did love her but he couldn't, he'd die if he did. Gendry would die if anyone found out about what he just did. Gendry jumped to his feet pushing Arya off him, leaving her strewed on the floor looking confused.

"Sorry I… um" he didn't know what to say so he just walked off mumbling to himself. Gendry didn't know if he was apologising for pushing him off or kissing her. _She kissed me right? She started it!_

He knew it wouldn't make a difference, in the eyes of everyone he had ruined Arya. Men like him were never meant to meet women like Arya let alone kiss them, he would die for this.

…

What in all of the seven hells had just happened? Arya tried to think back at what had just happened that make sense of why Gendry had just done that. _I kissed him. He kissed me. He ran away. Why would he run away, did I do it wrong? _

She didn't really know what she was doing and she was sure that Gendry did as she copied him. Arya tried to think why he would have acted like that, _why would he suddenly start acting like a stupid b_?

The she realised.

"Idiot!" Arya jumped up to her feet and chased after her friend _or is he my lover, what do you call someone who kissed you then runs away? _Gendry must have run back to the inn as she didn't find him on the way back, she pushed open the door and looked around for him but found the other men singing along to an old song from the north.

Arya snuck back up the stair avoiding the men she didn't want to speak with. She found herself outside his room, she stood there for a while not knowing whether to enter but when she heard him pacing back and forth she decided to go in.

She slid through the door and shut it behind her, she found Gendry staring at her but she wasn't going to talk, he was. She crossed the room and sat on his bed and waited for him to speak.

"It's not appropriated for Milady to be here, if someone was to-"Oh_ fuck it_

"What was that about? Why did you just run off?" she asked him, Arya was never patient

"I … Erm … we shouldn't. I shouldn't of kissed you I was being stupid, please forgive me" she was shocked by his words, she had kissed him first and why was he asking for her forgiveness

"Yes you are stupid, why are you asking for my forgiveness when there is nothing to forgive?" Arya asked rising from the bed with her fury.

"Milady what I did was wrong and if anyone found-"Gendry began

"No, stop it." Arya roared as she walked closer to him "It was not you, it was us. You act like I had no part, I am not some weak women" she stepped closer and poked her finger into his chest "that you just forced a kiss upon" she was fuming, Arya had enjoyed the kiss and she knew Gendry had as well

He was refusing to look it her eyes but she knew he heard every word she had said "You can act like what we did was wrong even though it was not. You can act like I'm a lady even though I am not and you can act like you did not say I love but you did, And Gendry I love you and always will. You are part of my pack and that is a bond you cannot break" Arya didn't wait for his reply; she pushed past him then left the room leaving him alone.

She was so tired from all the drama so she made her way to her room, she felt good to release all the anger she felt but she wished Gendry wasn't so stubborn and difficult, she wished he had confessed his feelings and not let her birth get in the way.

Arya slipped into bed and forgot about her stupid friend

_She could smell her; she was so close to her. She ran through the woods and followed the scent, the more she ran the more the scent grew. She flew through the trees, running faster than ever before. When she landed on her paws she was met with water, half of the pack behind her could swim; she would have to leave them. She howled at them to go back north and she'd re-join them soon._

…

He couldn't sleep

"Damn her"

Arya had crawled into his mind, she was right of course even though he'd never admit it.

Then he heard it, the howl. It was more like a cry, it was Arya's cry. He ran out of his room that he shared with some of the men and stopped outside of her room. Gendry could hear the cries repeating themselves, it was defiantly Arya. Gendry opened her door and walked in trying to be loud enough so she would wake but not too loud that he other men would hear. It didn't work; as he walked closer to her, he found her wrapped in the furs and the moon beating down on her pale skin.

"Arya" Gendry hissed shaking her shoulder

…

She bolted forward and found Gendry leaning over her

"What" Arya asked, slightly annoyed he had woken her

"Are you well Ar… Milday?" _Stupid bull_

"Did you just wake me to see if I was well?"

"You were … howling" Gendry whispered, _Howling? _Why would she be howling?

"I don't want to play games _Ser" _If Gendry wanted to use their proper titles then she would as well

"Arya you were howling" he stated

"Idiot" she rolled her eyes at him then turned towards the wall, away from him. "Go away"

He didn't. Gendry stood behind her not moving, _Idiot_. She turned back over and looked at him.

"What?"

"Oh nothing" he chuckled

"What?" Arya asked annoyed now a**t **how coy he was being

"Well … Its funny isn't it? You call me stupid all the time but the truth is your just as stupid" Gendry smirked.

"How?"

"Well" Gendry shrugged "You act strong and in control but you ain't, You build this wall to keep yourself trapped but the wall will crack and all the things you have kept hidden away will seep through."

She couldn't move, He was so right. Arya felt so stupid, she must have shown herself. _Idiot. _Her heart was in her throat and her parms were sweating.

"Get out"

"Arry im-"

"GET OUT" She growled at him

Gendry didn't move he just stood there awkwardly staring at her

"Leave" Arya jumped up from her bed and shoved her hands into his chest, it had no effect. She kept on pushing but nothing happened, Arya became frustrated with him and with herself. Arya went shove him hard one last time but before her hands could hit his chest Gendry pulled her arms so they wrapped around his waist and held her against him. Arya struggled for a moment but then gave in. Gendry was her closet friend and her only true one at the moment.

He was so right about her, the thought of him understanding her so well hurt, Her family were the only ones that could read her thoughts. At the thought of her family Arya felt the tears bubble in her eyes and stream down her face. Gendry must of felt or heard her crying as he swayed her of side to side gently.

…

They stood there for about half an hour, Arya hadn't moved or made a sound in about ten minutes so Gendry assumed she had fallen asleep on him. He tucked his arm under her arm and back then lifted her legs with his other arms and placed her down on the bed, lifting the fur over her before he left.

He had almost made it to the door but Arya's voice stopped him

"Please, please stay with me" He heard her whisper

Gendry didn't know what to do, it would be wrong if he left his friend In a state like this but the again it would be wrong if a lowborn like him shared a bed with a lady. He couldn't leave her but he couldn't stay here. Gendry decided that he would stay until Arya fell asleep then he would return to his bed.

…

Gendry lay down next to her refusing to get under her furs; she moved on her side and pressed herself against his arm enjoying the closeness and the warmth he gave her.

She slowly drifted off to sleep.

Arya woke again when she heard the floor board creak; she opened her eyes to find Gendry sneaking away.

"Stupid" she muttered to him just before sleep took her again.

**Well *Sigh* to many emotions there for me. I cant even ...**

**Nymeria is getting closer _ohhhhh _exciting**

**Please leave reviews i love them 3 **

**Till next time**

**XOXO **

**MiLadyAndTheBastard**

**Jk**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello strangers, Sorry it has been so long. Well its only been a couple days but that feels like ages to me, Enjoy.**

When Arya woke it was mid-morning, the sun was streaming in through the window and there was a faint chirping of birds outside. They were close to the ocean that you could even smell the faint scent of salt in the harsh air.

She crawled out of bed and went down the stairs to find most of the men breaking their fast; Arya wedged herself in-between Gendry and Anguy. Arya assumed that Gendry would acting strange again but he smirked down at her

"What?" she asked nervously, she normally didn't behave like this but something about Gendry put her on edge

"Your hair looks like a rats nest" Gendry told her but Anguy spoke before she could jape back

"Watch ya mouth, she could have your head on a spike"

When Arya looked at Gendry's face it was as if he had seen death, she rolled her eyes then stuck out her tongue at the bull to gain his attention when she had it she asked him of their plans for today.

"We will be going past Harrenhall then Godseyes and then stopping at blackwater rush" It was along ride Arya knew, the men were probably trying to get the journey over and done with.

They set off an hour later heading in the direction of Harrenhall; she remembered the time she spent there with Gendry and Hot pie

"What has happened of Hot pie" she asked Gendry

"He still works in that inn but he took it over when that women and her husband died"

"When's the last time you saw him?"

"Last year him and his wife-"Gendry began

"He has a wife?" Arya interrupted

"Yeah she's a quiet girl" She never thought the girl Hot pie would marry would be quiet but then again to have to put up with Hot pies rambling you would have to never speak.

"It seems everyone is getting married My lady doesn't it?" Arya turned to her left and saw Edric Dayne smiling down at her. He was tall but not as tall as Gendry and not nearly as handsome although he did have a very comely face that girls like Sansa would have died for.

"Yes My lord it does" she lied the truth was it really didn't the only person she could think was getting married or already had been was Hot pie, the sound of a Gendry horse died down she looked to her right a saw he was now riding next to Lem leaving Arya with Edric.

"I do hope to be wed soon" He told her, Arya wasn't really sure what was appropriate in this situation so just smiled at him. Her smile must have told him everything as he asked her "Do you not wish to marry my lady?"

"I have bigger priorities" she answered coldly, Arya had never wanted to be married or sold as she liked to call it.

"What priorities would they be my lady? Edric asked her, something in his voice was different

"To take back my home for my family and restore The North to its full power" Arya had a sudden bolt of pride in her when she talked of her home and family, she was a Stark.

"I would love to help you to take back your home, Arya" When Edric said this it felt more real than their previous conversations

"Thank you Edric but I couldn't possibly it's too much"

"No and maybe you could even repay me one day when you are ready" he told her, Arya couldn't of how as she was to repay him but assumed he meant when she had built her own forces and he needed her help.

…

They had set up camp at Blackwater rush an hour ago, he an Arya had been avoiding the conversation they needed to have but Gendry didn't mind.

"Gendry come here" Gendry looked up to see Harwin calling him over to the edge of their camp

"Yes Harwin?"

"You know what's coming don't you?" Harwin looked at him when he asked, as Gendry clearly didn't know what he was talking about, Harwin continued "A war and now the dragon queen is dead, there are only two sides, the Lannisters and Baratheons. And which king do we support?" he asked him

Gendry didn't know where this conversation would lead or didn't even know why they were having it "Our king is Robert but we support Stannis, the rightful king" He watched as Harwin nodded at his words

"Aye and like the king we have our own responsibilities but you more than others"

"Harwin I don't understand" Gendry told him

"Do you know who your father is?" he asked

Gendry was annoyed by the question, all the men knew he didn't know. He was a base born bastard, it was written in his skin "You know I don't" Gendry reminded him

"Have you had no clues no hints?" Gendry thought about Harwin's words, the only time his mother had mentioned his father was when he had misbehaved and she would say '_if your father was here, he'd beat you bloody'._

_"_No" he grunted tired of the subject

"Well what if I was to tell you I know who your father is" It wasn't true, it couldn't be

"Then I'd say you were lying, no one knows who my father is, only my mother did and if she was alive I doubt she could even remember" His mother was a kind women and Gendry never liked to speak ill of her but the amount of men she would bring back from the ale house would make his head spin

"Look lad it's true. I wasn't sure of it at first but" Harwin paused then dragged his eyes over Gendry "I can see it now and others will" He wasn't making any sense how would other people see? And what would they see?

"I don't get-"Gendry started

"Gendry, you are the bastard of King Robert" All the air in the entire of the seven kingdoms was gone, he couldn't breathe. Harwin was lying obviously or was confused, he was no lords son, he was Gendry just Gendry.

"It seems a lot know I know but Stannis requests your presence-" It was a jape, a cruel jape. How else would Harwin know, Gendry had been searching all his life to find out who his father is and now a man he had barely known well enough to call a friend had the answer.

Gendry had enough; he didn't want to listen anymore. He turned on his heel leaving Harwin stood on his own. He wanted to get away from them and their cruel japes, his father was something he had been struggling with all his life and the fact that his _so called brothers_ had turned it into a jape hurt more than anything.

Gendry was too busy lost in his own thoughts to know what he was doing, he found himself at the river sat on the bank alone.

…

Arya knew she shouldn't have been listening but she couldn't help it, Gendry was her friend and the stupid bull never told her anything anyway.

"_Gendry, you are the bastard of King Robert. It seems a lot know I know but Stannis requests your presence" _Arya thought about what Harwin had just said, Gendry was the king's bastard. She thought of the fat man her father loved dearly, _he was nothing like Gendry_. Then Arya remembered the old stories her father told her about how strong the king was and thought of Gendry. _Gendry is strong_ It was one of the first thoughts she had about him. Everything seemed to make sense, the goldcloaks and the reason why his master got sick of him. She thought of Roberts brothers, Renly and Stannis. Gendry looked like Renly but had the grumpiness of Stannis, _The eyes_. It was the eyes that gave him away. _Those crystal blue eyes that were hidden behind his raven black hair._

When she finally left her thoughts Gendry had gone and Harwin was busy with the other men. Arya quickly stopped one of the men and asked him where Gendry went.

"Saw him heading for Blackwater rush, Milady" Arya thanked him but not before scowling at him for the name

When she made it to the river she found Gendry hunched down on the grass facing towards the river.

"Gendry?" Arya asked as gently as she could

"What?" He snapped

"You alright?"

"Fine. Just need some peace" Gendry grunted at her

"I'm sure it will be strange at first but my brother was a bastard and he is a great man" She boasted remembering about her brother on the wall.

"Arry it's not true" He almost yelled at her

Why did Gendry not believe Harwin, it was true. "Yes it is" she shouted at his back "I've met Robert Baratheon, its true. You look like his brother Renly who had the Baratheon look" she told him

"It isn't something to jape about, you knew your father. Even your bastard brother knew your father but I don't know mine, it is cruel" Gendry wasn't yelling he was barely speaking

"It isn't some jape, it is true" Arya sat herself down next to him "Do you remember when we first met?" Gendry nodded at her question "And the goldcloaks came and I asked you why the Goldcloaks wanted you?" Gendry didn't move this time he just froze like a deer in the forest "Then you told me about my father and the lord before him asking you questions? Gendry they are all signs to who you are, you are Robert Baratheons son. Why would so many people ask questions if you weren't?"

"Bastard"

"Huh?"

"I wouldn't be his son I'd be a bastard" He said dryly

"You are whoever you want to be, you do not have to fill some role just to please Stannis. You could stay a smith, you could stay with the brotherhood or you even come and stay with me when I take back Winterfell"

Gendry was not just a bastard. If Arya had learnt anything in her lifetime she had learnt that bastards were no ordinary men. Her brother was a bastard and he was lord commander of the nights watch, Ramsay Bolton was a bastard and he was the most sick man that ever had lived even crueller than Joffrey. Then there was Gendry he was Gendry, at that moment Arya realised if Gendry was truly Roberts's son he would become a lord with a lords courtesies and wouldn't be her Gendry anymore.

_Then he would leave me again_ _for another stupid title._

"You are right" Arya's heart began to raise full of hope "I am still me but I won't be if I don't go to King Stannis as he would kill me before I could run" Her heart dropped to the floor and smashed.

**OH my baby Arya :'( I dont normally like the idea of Gendry becoming a lord cause i dont think he'd like it. **

**Just wanted to explain that if Gendry didnt go to Stannis, he would have his head chopped off as he is seen as their king.**

**Also sorry if the fact that the brotherhood support Stannis annoys you but what you gonna do? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯**

**Oh and Danys dead. Please leave reviews i love reading them :D**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello, here is another chapter. I have so much fucking emotion sthis past week, see if you can spot out the lines from the show and books. Also i just wanted to say to the people that worry about the whole Stannis as the king they support it is not a big deal, it will have the smallest effect on it. Enjoy.**

Arya had been acting strange ever since there last conversation, they had been ridding for a good few hours now and she wasn't joining in on any of the men's japes, she wasn't even talking at all. Whenever someone asked her something she would just smile and nod or sometime she wouldn't at all but that was only reserved for him.

"Lovers quarrel then?" Gendry turned his head to his left to see Tom wiggling his eyebrows at him

"What are you talking about?"

"You and the lady, now that your some lord you can act on it" Tom laughed

"I'm still a bastard Tom and maybe you should keep your nose out and sing a pretty song instead" he spat pulling his horse away from Tom's and moved towards Arya's.

She pretended not to notice him when he pulled up next to her, Gendry waited politely for a few moments then became impatient and slightly annoyed at how she pretended not to recognise him. "Are you going to tell me why you are sulking or-"he began

"I'm not sulking"

"Sure" Gendry rolled his eyes mimicking the way she always rolled her eyes at him; she was still silent not looking up from her horse. Gendry thought maybe his harsh tone was affecting it so he changed his it and finally asked "So what is it then?"

"Nothing is wrong you stupid bull headed b… well that's just it isn't it? You're not even a bastard you're a king's son" Arya hissed at him finally looking up from her sliver horse, her eyes filled with hate and hurt.

"Arry I'm still a Bastard" he almost whispered trying to comfort her but something about it kept nudging his brain

"Yes, a royal bastard. You will have the whole of the seven kingdoms at your feet fawning over you and you will forget about who you are and the people you have met … the people like me" She almost sounded like she would cry but he knew that wasn't something the new Arya would do.

"Is that why you are sulking? Because you realised I finally have a chance to change my life and I won't be chasing after you like some lost pup running after his mother's teat" Gendry's blood was far past boiling, he was so hot blooded that he felt like he was going to explode.

Even if Arya had answered him Gendry didn't hear as the steam rose from his ears. He had enough of it, Gendry pulled his horse away from Arya and _his brothers_, and rode on the outskirts of them not wanting to talk to any of them, the men or _her._

Gendry didn't even want any of this, he was happy living in kings landing working in the forge but then again if he had stayed he would of died. He would of died many a times if it wasn't for Arya and the brotherhood. _It's the road I have to take. _But he didn't want to go down the road he wanted to avoid the road, he never wanted to be a lord and the only time he had was when he thought of Arya but she clearly didn't want it either. _Maybe she only loves me because I am a bastard like her brother maybe that's the only reason why she befriended me in the first place._

…

She watched him ride away to the edge of the group. _He wants to leave me, he doesn't care about me he doesn't, he wants to be some stupid lord or king and leave me._ Her throat tightened and her grip in Rhaenys reins made the leather strap dig into her the base of her hand. _But he said he loved me, he told me._ She thought back to that night and the feeling the kiss gave her, then she thought about his courtesies towards her. _You've been a fool Ar_ya_, _a second voice whispered in her head that oddly sounded like Jaqen H'ghar.

The voice was right, she was a fool. She had come here for her vengeance, she came here to kill all the men that had betrayed her family and that is why she was going to Dorne so she could take back Winterfell with the help she needed and Gendry was not part of that. _He is some stupid idiot bull and when he meets Stannis he'll become some fat lord, and look down on the men that used to be him_. Arya's hands had become sore from gripping her reins so hard that they had started to bleed, she looked around the group trying to forget the pain and her eyes landed on Gendry.

_No that's not him, Gendry is different._

…

_She prowled through the woods, her master was close she could smell her scent all over the land. She could feel her emotions leaking from the ground. She looked up at the grey shining rock in the sky and howled. It was the same grey her master's eyes sparkled when the daylight shone on them. The scent was stronger. Then she saw it, the lights of the clothed buildings and the shadows of the men her master was with. The lights from the flames were blocked by a man in a cloak with a thick beard standing her way then she saw it the thick sliver blade, the man pulled it from his hip and waved it at her._

...

"NYMERIA" she screamed bolting up, before Arya knew anything her legs were dragging her towards the shouts. She found the men huddled around the edge of camp swearing and yelling, Arya pushed her way through the men, ignoring 'my lady it's not safe' from half the men she past. Finally she made it through the crowd and saw her,

Nymeria her direwolf, with its glistening yellow eyes and shining sliver coat.

"No" she cried running in front of her old friend "she is my direwolf"

"It's a beast milady" Lem said over the shouts stepping closer towards her

"No, if you lay one hand on her it will be the last time you have hands" she hissed drawing needle and pointing it at Lem who had the build of a soldier but Arya could easily best him.

Lem only smirked at her but when Harwin said he could pledge for Nymeria he backed off leaving Arya to reunite with her wolf. She turned to her old friend and found her whining loudly, they both leapt forward at each other ready to embrace one and other but her wolf overpowered her sending her flat on her back. She laughed as Nymeria licked her face with her dry tongue, she smelt like home the smell of Winterfell.

Arya turned her head to see a couple of the men watching them, one of them was Gendry. His face was calm and a slight smile lingered on his face, when he saw her looking at him he made no effort to move or look away he just looked straight back making his cool water eyes pour over her hot steel ones. She gently pushed Nymeria away then stood up, Gendry still just stood there watching. He didn't try to meet her wolf or say anything, _Stupid idiot bull._

"Come on girl" she whispered then headed towards the small stream.

…

Gendry watched her as her beast licked her face, _she looks so happy_ then Gendry realised she looked happier than she had ever been with him.

He thought of all the times she had made him happy, Arya made him happier than anything or anyone could. He had no joys in life apart from smithing but that wasn't the same as Arya. Arya gave him something he had never had, an emotion he had never felt.

She looked at him then rose to her feet never breaking contact, Gendry wondered if she felt the same. He wondered if she would ever need anyone ever again, _she's the lone wolf_ _she doesn't need me but winter is coming._

Something about Arya wasn't the same; it was as if she was a doll with no face. She never had the emotion that he needed from her. Since they had found her she seemed like she was going back to normal but Gendry wondered if that was all a front. Then he watched Arya leave with Nymeria heading towards the stream.

…

She knelt beside her old friend and buried her head into her fur smelling her. _I've missed you so much Nymeria. _Arya knew she didn't have to speak out loud as her and her wolf had a connection that nothing could break apart from death.

_I've missed you so much, have you missed me?_ Nymeria whined answering her question, she looked into her direwolf's eyes and saw the pain. The pain she couldn't portray_, I am truly broken. _ Arya scrambled over to the stream and looked at her reflection; _I can't stand to be so dead behind the eyes_. Nymeria whined again then placed her head on her lap and looked at her with her shining yellow eyes. _Baratheon yellow_ Arya thought as she petted her wolf letting the tears flow freely, _he is everywhere I go and if he leaves me again I will never be fixed._ Her tears drenched her face, their hotness stinging her pale skin. Arya's body began to jolt forward with every sob and soon she was gasping for air, _I am always left, I am always betrayed. I have learnt on my own, I am the lone wolf._

**I dont know if that hurt anyone as much as it hurt me, tell me what you thought pretty please (bashes eyelashes) and thanks for reading**


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry its been so long, thank you for being patient, enjoy**

**Self harming warning**

Gendry stared at the fire ignoring everything around him. It had been several hours since Arya had left with her wolf and she had made no return. What if she's left me again? She has her wolf, the Gods know how much she loves that thing, they could just leave. Nymeria is family to her and thats what she came back for, surely?

Gendry sighed placing is head in his hands blocking out the sight of the world. Everything was so confusing, one moment he was just Gendry and Arya was ... Well he wasn't sure what Arya was but then they kissed and everything was suddenly defined, and that fact that he was Robert Baratheon's son wasn't helping much either.

"So I guess you'll be wearing the stag from now on?" Gendry looked up to see Edric Dayne stood behind him.

"Will I?" Gendry scoffed, he had never liked the boy very much. Gendry couldn't really remember why but he knew he had always disliked Edric for a good reason.

"Yes I'm sure of it, soon you will go to storms end and meet Stannis, and he will grace you with the honor you deserve" Edric smiled softly "oh and then" the Dornish boy's smile turned into pure delight "you will be given lands and maybe even a lady wife"

Gendry couldn't help but roll his eyes at the Lord of starfall, this man i be ruling armies and he squeals like a girl.

"I can't wait to be home" he hadn't realised that Edric way still talking" and soon I will marry and my lady will give me blonde haired beauties with steel grey eyes" All of Gendry's body froze

"What?" He spat, knowing only one girl with grey eyes

"Well its nothing official" the stupid lord blushed" and i haven't even asked her yet but" anger rose in Gendry's body, his blood burned inside of him, so much so that it blocked out the rest of Edric's words.

He wad getting ready to beat the stupid lord bloody but the sound of familiar foot falls made anger leave his body, when he turned Gendry saw he was right and Arya had returned to camp. Gendry hoped Edric would keep talking about Arya so she overheard and stabbed him to death with her dagger.

"What do you think? Would she accept?" Gendry heard Edric ask

Gendry was just about to answer but Arya's voice interrupted "Would who accept?

Gendry had to stop himself from laughing but he was still smirking at the situation. He glanced over at Edric and saw he wad a bright crimson "I erm ... I ... err..." Edric was looking between him and Arya panicking, Gendry started to feel bad about enjoying watching the boy squirm

"His aunt milady, about having a feast in your honor" he intervened, he saw relief wash over the lord of starfall who was thanking him with his deep blue eyes.

"Excuse me, its been a long day and I'm still weary from todays ride" Edric said before Arya could ask anymore and they all knew she would.

They both watched him walk, well more like run away. Arya stood awkwardly behind him for a few moments then sat down next to him and began to fiddle with the dead leaves on the ground. The silence was deafening and Gendry felt like his heart was in his throat, he found himself begging for him to speak but no words came out.

...

No one spoke, everything was still but as silent as it was, it wasn't peaceful. Stupid bull headed boy, he can't even speak.

"So is milady-" Arya didn't bother waiting for him to finish, he should of learned by now.

"DON'T CALL ME MILADY" something in Arya snapped, she lunged at him knocking him on his back. Arya punched and clawed at his chest which only received laughter from Gendry and the other men watching.

"Arry" Gendry chuckled she ignored him "Arry" he grasped between his laughter, Arya carried on attacking him now inserting the random kick here and there.

There was something enjoyable about hitting the stupid bull, like she was removing all the pain she felt and showing him what it was like. What it was like to be alone, to have no one while still be surrounded by people. To have everything then have it snatched away at the last second.

"Arya!" Her body froze, the voice was so commanding it was almost like a voice she had forgotten, the voice of her fathers. She looked up into Gendry's eyes and saw the were full of anger, then his face blurred and Arya felt something hot and wet move down her face.

She jumped up away from Gendry and wiped her tears away. Stop it, stop crying, stop. She looked around for an exit for some sort of escape but found none. The men that were once laughing were now looking at her with concern. Just run! the voice was back, the deep and rich voice of Jaqen H'gar.

Arya bolted, past the men, past the tents, away from everything, away from him.

She didn't know how long she had been running for but daylight was peaking through the trees. She sunk down against the trees letting her back scrape against the rough bark. Arya could feel her skin catch against the tree causing blood to run down her back but she didn't care it gave her a release, a bigger one than she got from taking her anger out on Gendry.

Wanting to feel the release again she sunk her palms into the bark, hard. Letting it cut her, Arya watched the blood move down the tree and pool into the cracks.

Arya thought it was funny, how something so simple as skin can keep us together.

Then everything went black.

...

The men had stopped him from going after her and it had been three hours since she ran. Gendry swore under his breath at the men who had stopped him, what if she's fallen and hurt herself or if she's been attacked. Gendry thought of her beaten and bloody then pushed it out of his mind. The last time he had thought like that it had been years since he saw her again.

He had been to wrapped up in his own thoughts to noitce the large wolf glaring at him as he walked through the woods trying. The grey wolf growled, Gendry looked up finally stopping the wolf but saw it wasnt just any wolf, it was Arya's direwolf.

Nymeria's eyes gleamed at him with an emotion he couldn't quite describe.

The wolf ran at him. Pouncing through the air, it almost looked like she was flying. Fear gripped Gendry but he didn't try to run from the wolf, for some reason he desided that if he stayed it would prove his love Arya.

Nymeria didn't bite him or claw his skin off, no she nudged his knee firmly with her head them ran off in the opposite direction Gendry was heading. He didn't know why but for some reason he followed.

He followed the wolf through the tree, everytime Gendry had thought he lost her she reappeared again. He followed the wolf through a large steam, He followed the wolf over hills but there was no sign of Arya.

As soon as Gendry decided maybe he was in fact the stupid bull that Arya called him, he saw a small bundle at the base of a tree. Gendry bolted over nearly tripping up over every root on the ground as he ran.

Blood

There was blood everywhere, then he saw that it wasn't just a bundle it was Arya. Her body was slumped on the ground, her once pale skin was now cover they a red dew and slicked with sweat.

"Arya!" He yelled holding her by her shoulders and shaking her

"Arya please! " he felt so weak so pointless, Gendry screamed her name untill his voice became swore. Tears poured down his face. "Arry ... please" he didn't shout this time or shake her, his voice was a whisper. "Arry"

Then a sweet mumble came from Arya's lips, Gendry couldn't make it out into words but it was enough. Enough to give him hope, hope that Arya would live but not just live, love.

He picked Arya up and holding her how the princes did in all the stories. Gendry took one more glace at Arya's weak fame then ran.

...

She was flying, flying through the air. She move past the swirling brown and green shapes. I like flying, I wish I could just fly off, off to the wall, off to the end of the world.

"Stupid, stupid lady" the sky roared "why is it you always run off?" The shapes that were once green and brown were now orange and red.

Then everything went black again

...

Gendry watched her, Sweat was lining her face and chest. He wondered what the hell happened to her, the wounds were all over her hands, arms and back. They were different to cuts from falling, there position wasn't right.

They look like she had... he couldn't finish his sentence as he started to feel sick. Why would she do that? She wouldn't!

...

Her head hurt. Arya brought her hand to her head to try and give some relief know it wouldn't help but she still did it, as she move her arm a sharp pain hit it. She forced her eyes open and found herself in her tent on her bed, undressed.

Arya tried to bolt up knowing she hadn't walked back or undressed herself but the pain doubled and forced her back down to the bed while hissing.

Something moved next to her, she snaped her neck towards the movement and found the bull sat on a old wooden chair face down on the bed. That feeling moved in her again, the feeling that made her want to kiss and hit him at the same time.

Arya smiled to herself but she quickly stopped, no you can't. She studied his face, his tanned skin, the scars and wrinkles he had gained over the years, how his eyelashes brushed the bottom of his cheekbone and his lips ... Arya traced them with her eyes, she remembered how they gave her such comfort and safety. Before she could stop herself she was touching his face, slowly stroking his rough cheeks

Gendry's eyes flew open, Gods their blue. Arya saw how his eyes were soaked in relief but they quickly burned up with anger. He stood up and walked towards to door not saying anything.

"Where are you going?" She asked, Arya had no idea why she was nervous

"To get Paul" he grunted turning to face her

"Why?" Why would he go and get paul, he was just one of Edric's men

"Cause he's the one who healed you, you'd be dead otherwise!" Gendry roared snapping at her

Arya could feeling his eyes burrow into her wounds, he knows. A sudden rush of guilt ran threw Arya, she waited for him to say something ... anything but nothing. He just stood there with his hands clenched.

"Please don't" she gasped, Arya was surprised by how desperate her voice sounded "I don't want to see anyone" She watched as pity flashed through his eyes "just you" Arya patted the side of the bed next to her

Gendry Seemed reluctant at first his eyes dancing between her and the door but he eventually walked back over to the chair and sat in it sighing as he did.

They didn't say anything for a while, they just stared at each other begging for something but she knew she was asking for something different.

"Arya-" Gendry began

"Don't."

"Why did-"

Arya interrupted again "Please, just don't"

He snapped "So what am I meant to do just sit here, is that what you expect me to do?"

"No... I expect you to be my friend and respect what I say and want, its all I'm asking" Arya pulled back her furs exposing her small clothes "please?" She begged

Gendry gulped hard "Arya i don't think-"

"Just lie next to me stupid" she laughed watching Gendry's cheeks flare up. He seemed like a war was happening in his mind but he finally removed his shoes then climbed under the furs with Arya.

Arya could tell by Gendry's body he was nervous but when she nuzzled into him he seemed to relax again.

"Gendry" she knew she shouldn't but ahe wanted to

"Hmm?"

"I did mean what I said that night and I know I don't need to remind to you" Arya moved into him embracing his scent. He smelt like steal, soap and sweat, he smelt like home ... No thats winterfell.

**That was so draining**

**Thanks for reading but I'd love it more if you reviewed **

**Sorry for spelling or grammar mistakes**


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